Railway signal torpedo



Feb- 3, 1925' E. A. SCHOOLEY RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDQ Filed Aug. 6, 1924 fnuen far: fan 4E0 ,4 56/7004 E),

fitneases:

Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

U NIT :o. srriArE-s;

EDWARD scnooL ornonmour, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY" SIGNAL TORPEDOL Application filed August -6, 1924.- Serial No.v 730,l43.

To all whom it may concern it known that I, EDVVARI) A; .SoHooLnY,

a citizen of the United States, and resident ofDormont, in, the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvanimhave invented cere tain new-and useful Improvements in. Railway SignalTorpedoes, otwhich thefollowmg a SPBCIfiCZLlZlOIL= This invention relates to railway tor-- pedoes used on railways-as audible signals and more particularly to' torpedoes embodymg an explosive charge, an enveloping .cas-

ing of fibrous-material and auductile' metal A further object is to providea tOIPQdO:, havingthe novel construction, d.es1gn, and. combination of parts here nafter descrlb'edi and illustrate-din the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View'ofthe body of the torpedo casing prior to: assembling"- Figure 2 is a plan View of the reinforcing sheet carrying the metalattaching clip Figure 3'is a bottom plan ofthe torpedo with the lower flaps opened and-the reinforcing sheet partly broken away to show the relation of the several parts:

Figure 4c is a sectional elevation of the assembled torpedo.

Figures 5 and 7 are Views-similar to Fig ure 3, of slightly modifiedconstructions,

Figures 6 and 8 are sectional-elevations of the modified forms of torpedoes shown in-Figures 5 and 7, respectively.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings which illustrate my invention, the letter A designates the enclosing fiber casing of the torpedo as; a whole, which is formed from a flat piece of heavy paperor fiber board, cut in the form of a Maltese cross. The rectangular or square center 20f the casing is depressed to form a concave depression2 for the reception of a preformed explosive tablet 3 and the arms of the crossforin flaps 4:, 5, 6 and 7 adapted.

to be folded-over the explosive tabletto.

closeithe casing The flaps 4, 5,6 andflare.

no more than half the width of the rectangular center so that when theyeare folded over the explosive tablet theydo-nnot overs lap.,

In each of the several forms of torpedoes illustrated in the drawings, a fiber reinfor c.-.

ting sheet 8 is mounted overzthe explosive tablet. The sheet 8 is rectangularvin shape and of substantially the same size as. the rectangular centerQ of the casingA. The sheet 8 is provided with a pair of. slots or apertures 9 through whichn strip. of ductile metal 10 is threaded, which stripnis used .to detachably llOlClntlltE completed ton.

pedo in position on the rail'of a; railway.-

In the torpedo constructedas shown in Figures 3 and 41-, the .two diametrically ope posite flaps t and 5 arefirst folded into position over the explosive tablet 3 and the reinforcing sheet 8 is mountedon top. of these folded flaps. and 7 are then folded over the sheet 8 so as to hold it in position.

In the torpedo constructed as shown in Figures 5 and 6 .the reinforcing sheet 8 is mounted directly over theexplosivetablet 3 and the flaps lc'and .5 are bentiover thesheet 8, these fiapsbeing cut away ashat lito fitaround .the BllClSEOf thelductile metal strip,

10. The flaps 6 :and 7 are foldedlor bent over thefiaps 4L and '5;

In the torpedo constructed as shown vin Figures? and 8,x-thereinforcing sheet 8 is mounted-directly over the explosive tablet 3 and the ductile metal strip .10 has its ends projected through suitable apertures 12-.

formed at the junction of theflaps 4 and 5' with the .centenportion-Q I of the casing. The flaps-4 and 5 are first foldedover the reinforcing sheet 8 and..tlien the flaps 6 and 7 are folded over the flaps l and ;5.:

In the formation of the torpedoes of this invention a coating. of waterproof cement is applied to the concave depression 2* prior to the insertion-of the explosive tablet 3, and then a coating of the same cementis ap-- plied to the tablet 3 and surrounding por tions of the center 2 oftlie casingto secure the flaps 4 and 5 or reinforcing slicet,wh.ich-

ever is positioned next tothe. tal'ilet, and.

The remaining fiaps 6 After the casing has been firmly cemented together the assembled torpedo is then placed in a suitable mold or die and pressed to finally compact the whole struc ture and complete the shaping thereof. After the torpedo has been pressed to, final shape it is next coated. with a suitable water-proofing compound,'such as varnish, shellac, or the like, and then before such coating is dry, one or more sides of the torpedo are sanded and the sand will adhere to the sticky coating, thus forming an abrasive surface. While I have shown and described several specific embodiments of my invention I do not wish to be limited thereto, since other modifications may be made without departs ing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim :7

1. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case made in the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming flaps for closing over the explosive and the length of said flaps being approximately one-half the width of the rectangular center portion so as to meet at the center lines of said cross when folded back over the explosive, a preformed explosive tablet mounted in said depression, a rectangular fiber reinforcing sheet of substantially theisame size as said rectangular center located over said explosive tablet and held in position by said flaps, said reinforcing sheet being provided with apertures, and a ductile metal retaining strap threaded through said apertures and adapted to project materially beyond the sides of the finished torpedo, all of said parts being permanently secured together by quantities of waterproof cement.

2. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case made in the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming fiaps for closing over the explosive and the length of said flaps being approximately one-half the width of the rectangular center portion so as to meet at the center lines of said cross when folded back over the explosive, a pre formed explosive tablet mounted in said depression, a rectangular fiber reinforcing sheet of substantially the same size as said rectangular center located over said explosive tablet, at least some of said flaps being folded over said reinforcing sheet to hold it in position, said reinforcing sheet being pro vided with apertures, and a ductile metal retaining strap threaded through said apertures and adapted to project materially beyond the sides of the finished torpedo, all

of said parts being permanently secured together by quantities of'water-proof cement.

3. A fiber case railway torpedo compris ing an enclosing case made in'the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming flaps for closing over the explosive and the length" of said flaps being approximately one-half the width of the rectangular center portion so as to meet at the center lines of said cross when folded back over the explosive, a preformed explosive tablet mounted in said depression, two diametrically opposite ones of said flaps being folded over said explosive tablet, a rectangular fiber reinforcing sheet of substantially the same size as said rectangular center mounted on said folded flaps, the two remaining flaps of said case being folded over said reinforcing sheet, said reinforcing sheet being provided with apertures and a ductile metal retaining strap threaded through said apertures and adapted to project materially beyond the sides of the finished torpedo for use in securing the'torpedo to a rail, all of said parts being permanently secured together" by quantities of water-proof cement.

4. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case made in the form of a Maltese cross and having its rectangular center depressed to form a concave depression for holding the explosive tablet, the arms of said cross forming flaps for closing-over the explosive and the length of said flaps being approximately one-half the width of the rectangular center portion so as to meet at the center lines of said cross when folded back over the explosive, a preformed explosive tablet mounted in said de pression, two diametrically opposite ones of said flaps being folded over said explosive tablet, a rectangular fiber reinforcing sheet of substantially the same size as said rectangular center mounted on said folded flaps, the two remaining fiaps of said case being folded over said reinforcing sheet, said reinforcing sheet being provided wit apertures and a ductile metal retaining strap threaded through said apertures and adapted to project materially beyond the sides of the finished torpedo for use in se curing the torpedo to a rail, all of said parts being permanently secured together by quantities of water-proof cement, and said completely assembled torpedo being coated over its entire outer surface with a waterproofing compound and having a coating of abrasive material over said waterproofing coating on at least one side thereof. ii

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. I

EDWARD A. SCHOOLEY. 

